PAT CAPUTO: Why Detroit Tigers' lineup could be very special WITH VIDEO

Detroit Tigers' Austin Jackson, center, is congratulated by Torii Hunter (48) and Alex Avila (13) after Jackson hit a two run home run off Oakland Athletics' Jarrod Parker in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday April 14, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Baseball has had its share of great lineups. Is the Tigers' current batting order next?

It may not be far-fetched.

Two lineups have set the standard during two very different eras of baseball.

The New York Yankees of the 1920s and 1930s were referred to as "Murderers' Row." Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were in the middle of that lineup, and it was astonishing how the Yankees' hitters dominated the American League. There is a good reason the 1927 Yankees are so revered. They hit 158 home runs -- and no other AL team hit more than 56. Ruth hit 60 that season. The team OPS (on base plus slugging percentage) was .827, 100 points better than the next best AL club.

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The '27 Yankees were 110-44 before sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series.

The Cincinnati Reds' "Big Red Machine" teams of the 1970s were similarly potent. Johnny Bench, Tony Perez and Joe Morgan are all in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, certainly would be were it not for being banned from baseball for gambling as a manager.

The 1976 Reds won 102 regular-season games -- and all seven of their postseason games. They led the major leagues by wide margins in batting average, runs, home runs, OPS and on-base percentage.

After a dozen games this season, the Tigers have a long way to go to be mentioned in the same breath with "Murder's Row" and the "Big Red Machine."

Yet, it does appear the Tigers have put together one of the most formidable lineups in recent baseball history.

The Tigers' team batting average is .307 -- 30 points better than the next-best team (Colorado) though Sunday. The major league average is .250. The Tigers' on-base percentage is .367 -- 18 points higher than the next-best team (the New York Mets). The Tigers are in the top five in runs scored and OPS. Their power numbers are average, but who doesn't believe that will change as the whether warms?

The Tigers began their season in the bitter cold in Minnesota and at Comerica Park, and at Oakland, which has traditionally been one of the most difficult major league parks for hitters.

At the core of the Tigers' lineup are third baseman Miguel Cabrera and first baseman Prince Fielder. Cabrera is arguably the best hitter of his generation. His average major league season is a .318 batting average with 34 home runs and 121 RBI, and a .955 OPS, which is 20th best all-time. Fielder's garnering only slightly lesser numbers (.288-36-108 average season, .935 OPS, which is 33rd all time).

It's not just the middle of the order that is so ominous about the Tigers. It's the development of a leadoff hitter, Austin Jackson, who is entering his prime at the age of 26. Jackson had a very underrated season in 2012, ranking among the Top 30 players in the major leagues in most significant offensive categories.

Since this point last year, the Tigers have added Omar Infante to fill a glaring hole at second base and hit near the bottom of the order, replaced Delmon Young with Victor Martinez at DH and placed Torii Hunter in right field, filling what had been another obvious need in the lineup.

Cabrera, Fielder, Hunter, catcher Alex Avila, shortstop Jhonny Peralta, Martinez and Infante have all played in the All Star game. Anybody believe Jackson won't some day?

Left fielder Andy Dirks might perceived as the weak link in the lineup, until it is considered he batted .322 last season with an .857 OPS. Dirks, over three seasons, has had roughly a full 162 games of plate appearances in the major leagues (618 and 564 at bats). He is a .287 hitter with 15 home runs and 67 RBI and a .778 OPS. Not exactly a weak link on most clubs. On some, he might be hitting third.

This Tigers' lineup is capable of true greatness, perhaps setting the measure for its generation.